Ex-Union Minister K P Unnikrishnan dies at 89
Kozhikode (Kerala)(PTI): Former Union Minister K P Unnikrishnan, who was regarded as one of the prominent figures in Indian politics during the 1980s and 1990s, died in the early hours of Tuesday, his family said.
He was 89.
He died while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments at a private hospital here, they said.
Having been elected to the Lok Sabha six consecutive times from Vadakara, he served as a Union Minister in the V P Singh Cabinet, holding the portfolios of Surface Transport and Communications during 1989–90.
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During his tenure as Minister, he oversaw the evacuation of Indians during the Gulf War.
Beginning his professional life as a journalist, Unnikrishnan was first elected to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in 1971 as a Congress candidate.
He subsequently represented the constituency in the Lok Sabha in 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989 and 1991.
Between 1981 and 1984, he served as the leader of Congress (Secular) in Parliament, and from 1980 to 1982 he was a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
A close associate of V K Krishna Menon, Unnikrishnan was at one time a trusted confidant of Indira Gandhi.
However, he later left the Congress following political differences.
He was active in the Congress (U) and Congress (S) before returning to the Congress in 1995.
Born on September 20, 1936, he was educated at Madras Christian College in Chennai and completed his law degree from that city.
During this period, he was associated with the Socialist Party and later the Praja Socialist Party.
In the 1960s, he joined the Indian National Congress and became a member of the All India Congress Committee in 1962.
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RCB to play five IPL 2026 home matches in Bengaluru, two in Raipur
Bengaluru (PTI): Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five of their home matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here and the remaining two fixtures at Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in the upcoming IPL, the franchise said on Tuesday.
The announcement ended doubts about whether the IPL 2025 winners would be able to play at their home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, following the stampede that killed 11 fans after RCB's maiden title win.
Since that tragic indecent, the venue has not hosted any major domestic matches including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy or even the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20.
"This significant development comes after months of hard work and close coordination across all concerned authorities with a common goal of bringing the games back to home ground for the fans," RCB said in a release.
"RCB extends its sincere gratitude to the Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the Karnataka Police for their unwavering guidance, cooperation and support in facilitating the hosting of matches in Bengaluru."
"The collective efforts to ramp up infrastructure and safety measures in time for the IPL season have ensured that the defending champions will play the majority of their home games in their home ground," the franchise added.
The franchise said that the two "home matches" in Raipur will be as "per prior commitment."
RCB CEO Rajesh Menon said the fans deserve to watch their team compete at home.
"The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is more than just our home ground it is where our identity as a team truly comes alive," he said.
"The energy our fans bring to Bengaluru has always been a driving force for our players, inspiring them through every phase of the game. Our fans have stood by us unconditionally, and they deserve the opportunity to watch their team compete at home."
"After detailed discussions and completing the necessary due process around permissions, we are pleased to confirm that RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru. We sincerely thank the Government of Karnataka, the KSCA, and the Karnataka Police for their support in making this possible," Menon added.
